Healing Old Wounds
by Silver-ONI
Summary: The Goddess of Love and beauty thought she was condemned to be without love her entire life. Fortunately, fate decides to play her a different hand with the return of the Shitennou. Though the Generals find forgiveness from the Senshi, they're having a harder time forgiving themselves
1. Chapter 1

Flicking his tail, Artemis looked sadly at Minako, her wincing face illuminated in the moonlight. This was becoming routine for him. Every night, she would have nightmares so intense and vivid she would wake up screaming. When she would wake up, he would comfort her, telling her everything was okay. Nothing was wrong. The senshi had been at peace for a year, nothing was attacking her. Not that he knew what she dreamed of. Minako had been disturbingly quiet about what was making her wake up in tears. By day she would put on her happy face and prance around like nothing was wrong, but Artemis knew better.

Snuggling up to her face, the white cat wiped away a tear with his paw. She wasn't screaming tonight, just crying, clutching her pillow to her chest. Perhaps being a superhero since she was 13 had finally taken its toll. Maybe she, and the rest of them, just needed time to heal, to be normal teenagers. Hopefully this will pass, like all the other trials in Minako's life. She was a fighter.

Seeing her eyes dart open, Artemis lept on the pillow Minako was holding, looking down at her with concern. "Minako, please, tell me what's bothering you." Opening her mouth, she began to speak, but choked up, fighting back tears.

"I-I remember," was what she was able to say, shaking as gruesome images of death flashed through her mind. "I remember everything."

In her eyes, Artemis could see heartbreak, suffering and agony only brought on by loss of love. It was then that he knew what she dreamed of. Who she dreamed of. In the beginning, when they were fighting the Dark Kingdom, Artemis had elected to not let her remember of her past self's love. She was too young to be able to handle the task of killing him if she knew, but the senshi were regaining their memories on their own rather quickly, not just remembering basics, but having vivid recollections. Now she knew a man she helped kill was her meant to be, and that the Goddess of Love was, indeed, doomed to be unloved herself. She would never get him back.

She whispered his name so softly that Artemis could barely hear her despair. Hugging herself, Minako stared into space, whispering his name again and again, each syllable rolling off her lips with a familiar longing.

"Kunzite..."

***

When daylight broke, the tears stopped, and Minako forced a dazzling smile on her face as she got dressed that morning, singing to blasting music as she went through her clothes, showered, dressed and put on makeup. Finishing her ensemble with her signature red bow, she swept Artemis up in her arms and planted a kiss on his crescent moon.

"Good morning my favorite kitty!" Minako beamed.

"You seem very well rested for someone who was up half the night," Artemis said with concern, looking at her seriously. Minako pretended she didn't know what he was talking about, and instead focused on picking out the right shoes. Not heels, since she was walking all the way to Makoto's for a group breakfast to celebrate the beginning of their summer break, but something cute.

"Aha!" Minako said, grabbing a pair of red flats with ribbons on the toes, "These will be perfect!"

"Minako, are you even listening to me?" Artemis asked, jumping onto her desk where she was about to grab her bag from.

"Artemis, I'm fine," Minako insisted with a waive of a hand, "It's nothing. I promise."

"Do you expect me to think it's nothing now that I know what this is about? I know how deep your feelings for Kunzite were," said Artemis adamantly.

With a very forced smile, Minako turned to the door, flats in one hand, bag in the other and said, "Please, Artemis, don't say his name."

Sighing, Artemis curled up into a ball at the foot of her bed, wishing he could do something to help her.

Minako said few words to her parents as she grabbed a water bottle for the road beyond good morning wishes. Keeping her smile on the whole time, she left the house, hair gently flowing in the light summer breeze. Like the breeze she felt when she woke up in the morning, standing on a balcony, wrapped in strong, dark arms.

Stop it, Minako. That was then, this is now.

She had to push those memories into the back of her mind. "No use crying over spoiled milk," she muttered to herself. Being with the others would cheer her up just by being them.

Ami and Rei had already arrived when Minako got there, leaving just Usagi to show up, though that didn't stop them from asking Minako what too her so long to get there. Laughing it up to being unable to decide what to wear, all three of the other senshi rolled their eyes.

Makoto had baked mini muffins to snack on until Usagi joined them, remarking "She stayed with Mamoru last night, so it might be awhile."

"We have less than a year left of high school, she should really focus on making the best of that and just be patient until they get married after graduation," said Ami, setting her book down so she wouldn't get crumbs all over it.

"Lighten up, it's summer vacation, she should be able to enjoy herself," Minako defended, "besides, I wouldn't mind spending these hot summer nights in bed with a cute guy all night."

Turkey was a very hot place, wasn't it?

Shut up, Minako. Stop it.

Remember how the sweat glistened on his skin as we made love those hot nights? The way his hair stuck to his neck as he took me lovingly?

Please, brain, stop it.

He was so handsome, so strong, polite, intelligent. Could anybody in any world ever compare to him?

Usagi was walking in the room as Minako dwelled on her memories of a cool, desert morning, wrapped in warm blankets on a soft bed, Kunzite's hand stroking her hair while he slowly woke up. After a half-hearted hello to the future Queen, Minako sighed and ventured into territory she wasn't sure she was ready to go.

"How often do you guys think about the Silver Millennium?" she asked, garnering confused looks from her peers. They weren't sure why Minako would bring that up, but they wouldn't question it.

"I remember Princess Serenity was a handful and never listened to us," said Rei with some tease in her statement, though it was completely true.

"All the gardens were beautiful. I could have spent days just relaxing in the garden," Makoto reminisced, inhaling deeply, almost smelling the aroma of the Moon Palace's gardens right there. "It was nice to be able to tend it in our free time."

"But all of you were so mean about letting me see Endymion! Except you, Minako, you actually let me spend time with him before taking me home. Better than you, Rei, who would drag me by the ear away," said Usagi, pouring herself some juice.

"That's only because I knew that it was a bad idea to be sneaking off to see a guy all the time. You were a princess, after all," said Rei, "And I always thought those Shitennou were trouble."

"Says the one who always checked Jadeite out at every opportunity," Minako teased, "And don't just say it was because you were looking to see if they were going to pull something, you had the hots for him!"

Flushing red, Rei crossed her arms and glared at Minako, but Rei's silence told Minako she was right.

"It's so strange to think that our first enemies used to be our allies and friends. I used to really enjoy some of the conversations I had with Zoisite. Earth culture was so fascinating at the time," said Ami, thinking back to how often she had to ignore the strange feeling in her gut while fighting Zoisite a few years ago.

"And they were always good sparring partners. Once I beat Nephrite so bad I baked him a cake. I think he started making sure I'd win just to get free cakes from me," Makoto laughed, "Honestly, he was a good guy."

"I kind of wish that they were reborn. I think things would be a lot different if they were on our side," Minako mused sadly. "Does Mamoru ever talk about them? They were his guards, after all."

"Um, I think he used to actually be able to talk to them, in these stones he had," said Usagi thoughtfully, "But he also said that stopped working a year ago, when he went to study abroad. I don't know what happened to them."

"With seven billion people on this planet, they could easily have been reincarnated without us knowing," Ami stated.

"And with our luck, if they are, we'll eventually see them, especially when Usagi becomes Neo Queen Serenity," Makoto agreed, placing pancakes on the table with a strawberry sauce.

"Mamo will want them in his court if they do come back," said Usagi, helping herself to multiple pancakes. "These look to die for, Mako!"

Unfortunately, not even the delightful pancakes and company of friends could keep Minako from feeling totally and completely alone.

***

Minako wasn't alone, though. Less than ten miles away, Ichiou Shin was looking deeply at his reflection in his cup of coffee, mulling over the dreams of the night before. Shock was not his reaction, but sadness, for shock had been his state a year ago after he woke up from a coma. Though his body had been very, very still those two years, his soul had been not.

Thinking back to his initial awakening, his stomach lurched as he remembered how he had been brainwashed, hoodwinked into serving the one who brought about the Earth's destruction a thousand years ago. How he hurt the people of Earth, those he swore to protect, and was only saved by the appearance of Endymion, his own death, and saving his Prince and Master from his own. Then came the redemption, the time spent guarding Chiba Mamoru, trapped in a stone of his namesake until he regained enough power to return to this mortal body. The son of a real estate tycoon in Tokyo, his coma was said to have been caused by overworking himself and too much stress. Because of that, his parents had refused to let him back into his old position at his father's company, leading him into a life of self-imposed exile for his sins. Slowly, Shin had disappeared, being replaced nearly completely by Kunzite.

Physically, he had changed from the skinny businessman into the fit, tanned general of the past. Instead of his silver hair being cropped to his head, he wore it long, down to his shoulders, tying it back into a short ponytail and donning glasses in order to mask his own identity from himself. He couldn't feel comfortable unless he felt like his former self, but sometime he couldn't stand to look in the mirror unless it was in disguise.

The only people he associated with anymore were the Shitennou, who he was lucky to even meet again in this life. The first he met was Zoisite, or Suzuki Akihito, out at a lounge for a drink with his father and business partners, the young General playing the piano. As it turned out, in this life, Akihito was a famous classical musician and child prodigy, proficient primarily in Piano, who had miraculously woken up from a long coma after collapsing onstage. Zoisite was like a brother to Kunzite, and it was good to meet him again. While the two of them were out for coffee, playing catch up, they met Jadeite, now known as Ito Kyou, a student at the Tokyo University of Technology. Kyou ended up skipping class that day in order to speak to his friends and companions. Companionship was a comfort all of them had been without for far too long.

It took a longer time to find Nephrite, who had attempted to completely abandon any trace of his old identity. Sanjouin Masato had cut his hair and grown a beard, which was the largest deterrent from them spotting him. It was Kyou that found him, studying in a library one afternoon. Though took a lot of convincing to have him meet up with the other Shitennou, eventually relented. Out of all four he was the most reluctant to embrace the past, but they had made an agreement: if Endymion was ever in danger again, they would unite and resume their oath of protection. So far, that hadn't been necessary.

Part of him almost wanted something to happen. Though the safety of Prince Endymion was of the utmost importance, if there was a problem, the Sailor Senshi would be there, and if the Senshi were there, their leader, Venus, would be, too.

Silently, his heart ached for her. To run his hands through her golden hair, to kiss her soft lips, to hold her in his arms during the night. In the past, their love was secret, forbidden, but that never stopped her from meeting him, spending days and nights meant to be spent with her fellow warriors in his arms, in his bed. Some nights, as he stared at the ceiling, wide awake, he thought about searching for her, but the thought of her spurning him was too much to bear. How could she forgive him after everything he had done? That would be impossible to ask of her. Besides, she obviously didn't remember him then, what would be to say that she would know their past now? No, he wouldn't try to force anything. Should fate bring them together, he would be satisfied, but he was never the pushy type. Perhaps if he repented long enough, he could be rewarded with what he desired above all.

"You have a brain in there, Shin?"

Looking up, Kunzite saw Jadeite had sat down across from him in their usual cafe. "Yeah, Kyou, just thinking." When speaking in public, they always used their new names, but nothing would stop them from thinking of each other as their old names.

"Well, I have some good news," Jadeite said, handing Kunzite a tablet, "Take a look at what I found."

Kunzite was looking at an online profile of a man, Chiba Mamoru. For a second, he was confused, until he saw the profile picture.

"You found Endymion? How?" Kunzite asked, scrolling through the page. Dating Tsukino Usagi, who was obviously the Moon Princess, with her blonde odango hair. Medical student. Had over 400 friends.

"Complete luck. I'm in school with a former classmate of his and he popped up as a possible friend I could add," explained Jadeite.

"Who are you talking about?" Zoisite asked, sitting down next to Kunzite. Nephrite was with him, sitting down next to Jadeite. Grabbing the tablet away from Kunzite, Zoisite gasped, "You found Endymion!"

"Not so loud, Akihito," Kunzite sighed, "You'll make people stare."

"Well, we have to go see him," Zoisite said adamantly, "We can't just keep letting him think we're gone. We've been out of those stones for a year."

Taking his turn to stare at Mamoru's profile, Nephrite sighed, "So, it's really going to happen, huh? We're going to face our master and own up for everything we did. I don't know about this."

"I'm sure he'll find the guilt you hold humbling, and will accept our apologies, Masato. You've punished yourself enough already," said Kunzite wisely.

"I think his forgiveness was already given to us when we were trapped in the stones, anyway," Zoisite offered, "Just because we have corporeal bodies now shouldn't change anything."

"It's not Endymion that will be the problem," Nephrite explained, "but what comes with it. The Senshi. If we show ourselves to Endymion, we may as well be inviting the princess's guard to come and chop off our heads right there."

"Come on, you know Princess Serenity wasn't that type, and we all know Sailor Moon was reborn with the same personality," Jadeite countered, "Besides, she's so in love with Endymion that she'll listen to him if he wants to keep us alive."

"And Mercury is far too rational to jump to conclusions, especially if our Master is on our side," Zoisite agreed. "I'm not saying it's going to be a comfortable, or easy, situation, but it's our duty."

"They may be more forgiving, but the others? Mars never seemed to like any of us anyway, I knew Jupiter well enough that even if she doesn't attack, she'll be damn skeptical, and Venus? Well, I guess that depends on how much they remember. If it's not much, we may as well call ourselves dead men. If it's a lot, well, Kunzite better hope she doesn't hold a grudge on the whole him killing her while she was pregnant thing."

Kunzite tensed up at Nephrite's words, feeling like he had just been kicked in the gut multiple times. That was always his reaction when he thought about his last moments with Venus, or when someone reminded him of what happened.

"She killed me, too," said Kunzite meekly, but continued speaking with his usual calm confidence, "and, remember, we were brainwashed. We had no idea what we were doing. They know how powerful Metallia was, so all of this may be non-issue if they already understand. I'm not sure if I want Cytherea- I mean Sailor Venus- to learn from a third party. I want to be able to tell her myself."

"So we'll just ask Mamoru to not say anything. He'll respect what we want," said Zoisite.

"Maybe with you, Kunzite, or Shin, or whatever you want to be called, but he is more than welcome to tell Mars about me. Any chance of me being able to rekindle that romance is completely out of the question," Jadeite sighed. "You may have delusions of a warm welcome, but the only thing warm about me would be the fire lighting up my ass."

"Under these circumstances, I'm glad Jupiter and I kept it platonic. Not that I always wanted to, but at least now I don't have this hurdle to jump over. Right, Akihito?"

"All of you are a bunch of poon hounds, I swear," Zoisite sighed, "What happened to us being gentlemen? Just because we're not living in palaces anymore doesn't mean we're not kings."

"Says the man who just used the phrase 'poon hound,'" said Nephrite, "Really, poon hound? Where did you learn that one?"

"The same place you learned to call me a faggot and thought it was appropriate," Zoisite snapped.

"Well, in my defense, you've always come off as a little... fruity." said Nephrite. "And womanly."

"Gentlemen, please," Kunzite sighed, "We're allies. We're not being pitted against each other by anyone anymore. All of us need to come to an agreement on what to do, and to not keep insulting each other. Yes, our new lives are strange, yes, we all feel like shit for letting ourselves get hoodwinked and brainwashed, but we can't take it out on each other. So, are we going to stop behaving like chastised children, hanging our heads in shame or are we going to man up and do our jobs? I know that tomorrow afternoon I'm going to go visit Chiba Mamoru, and if any of you want to join me, please do, so long as you can behave for five minutes!"

Everything felt so corroded by the Dark Kingdom. Spats like this were common, but they were never as malicious before. Wounds given to each other while brainwashed still festered, still seemed all too fresh. Even after regaining all their memories, there still seemed to be a tinge of darkness left in their hearts. It needed to stop.

"I'm going," said Jadeite, "I think we'll all be better off if we just go and see how everything ends up."

"I don't see a reason not to go if everyone else is," Zoisite agreed.

"Masato?" Kunzite asked, looked to Nephrite. After taking it the hardest, Kunzite wondered if he would be ready.

With a small nod, Nephrite said "I don't think I'll ever be more ready to do this."

At that moment, all four of the Shitennou silently put the lives they had in this time aside. No longer would they be Ichiou Shin, or Suzuki Akihito, or Ito Kyou, or Sanjouin Masato. There was only Kunzite, Zoisite, Jadeite, and Nephrite.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N Thank you so much for the reviews! They were so encouraging and really kept me going through chapter 2! The first two chapters were mostly for establishment of where we are in the universe right now, so starting next chapter we'll start getting into the actual meat and bones of the story. I'm happy to have the establishing exposition done!

Modern fashion could be ridiculous, or at least that's what Kunzite thought.

There was a disconnect between the old Ichiou Shin and the new, improved Kunzite version. He much preferred his Elysion uniform, or traditional garments of his Ottoman kingdom, over what was considered fashionable today. Instead he had to get used to pants that felt too tight, shirts sloppy and untucked, even when coupled with a tie and dressy vest, though apparently the old Shin had impeccable taste. Kunzite was often complimented, though he wasn't sure why.

When he was allowing himself to pretend he was someone else, the stark differences in fashion could be appreciated as some sort of costume in a masquerade. However, today he was abandoning that sort of pretense. As he went to put his hair up and grab his fake glasses, he set the items back down right away. Looking at his reflection, he stared straight in the face of the same man who was the highest ranking military member of Earth over 1000 years ago. For the first time in over a year, Kunzite liked seeing that face.

Checking his phone for directions one last time, he locked his door behind him, took a deep breath, and began the commute to see Chiba Mamoru. Mamoru lived about 15 minutes away, not a bad commute from his Shiba Koen apartment to Azabujuban. Short walk, 4 minute subway ride, and another relatively short walk to actually getting to Mamoru's apartment. He was fairly confident in his decision to approach the reincarnation of Prince Endymion, and was hardly nervous at all. Standing at the subway, Kunzite mentally ran through his speech again, making sure everything he had to say was there.

"So, what are the chances that Princess Serenity will be there too?" Looking behind him, Kunzite saw Nephrite, arms crossed. He was hiding his nerves well, but there was a glint in his eyes that gave his worry away.

"You want to answer something for me?" Kunzite asked. "Why are you taking all of this so much harder than the rest of us?"

"I'm surprised you don't understand. Since my home was so far away and it was harder to visit, my dad had me raised in Elysion with Endymion so I'd be familiar with the kingdom I was meant to serve. The two of us were always closer. We studied together, we sparred together, and when he fell in love with Serenity, she became like a little sister to me, and I can't believe what I have done. I liked Beryl and all when she was a sage, but I don't even remember how she brainwashed me. What she did makes me weak, and a traitor. I can't stand people who are like that," Nephrite explained.

"So it's pride that's been wounded," Kunzite mused, "I should have known you wouldn't react well to that. Your loyalty to Endymion was always important to you."

"And I screwed up," he said, scratching his beard, "you know I've never been a good loser."

"I thought you said you were going to shave," said Kunzite, distracted now by the still unfamiliar facial hair.

"It's grown on me. I don't think I will."

As the subway pulled up, Kunzite shook his head while he stepped aside for the passengers getting off. While he stepped on, Kunzite noticed Nephrite's eyes were following someone intently, a wistful look of longing in his eyes.

"What is it?" asked Kunzite.

"I just saw Jupiter."

Kunzite paused. "Do you want to go after her? We'd understand." _I'd chase Venus after all..._

Nephrite hesitated. It was a hard decision, but he inevitably shook his head and boarded the subway. "Endymion will know all of them. I'll have another chance soon enough." Though, Nephrite couldn't help but say as they sat down, "She looks just like I remember her."

"Is that a good thing?" All Nephrite did was smile back. "I think somebody wants to change his stance on a platonic relationship."

"Things might be different now. We're no longer confined by pointless tradition and laws. The laws of Jupiter were more strict than those of Venus, Kunzite. She would have been stripped of all her titles and positions if we became too close, not just chided and given an empty threat. Even the cakes she baked for me were toeing the line. Even if Athene did want to throw it all away for me, I would have never let her do that," explained Nephrite, "It was too... complicated."

Kunzite understood. The looseness of Venusians had kept their princess from getting more than a stern lecture, but Jupiter held higher standards. It never occurred to Kunzite before that Nephrite was sacrificing more than something casual when he spurned any of Jupiter's advances. Nephrite had always been a lady's man in the past, so young when he assumed power, that he never thought Nephrite actually could be in love. Apparently he misunderstood his comrade's character.

The subway ride was short, so Kunzite and Nephrite were getting off almost as soon as they got on. Both of them arrived slightly before Jadeite, but just after Zoisite. Staring up at the tall building, they exchanged glances, stood up a bit taller, and walked in, taking the elevator up to Mamoru's apartment, completely silent the entire time.

Leading the pack, Kunzite knocked on the door, flanked by his fellow Generals in the same position they took in battle: Nephrite on his left, then Zoisite and Jadeite to his right. The adrenaline pumping through his veins reminded Kunzite of his battles in his past life. It felt like he was going to war.

"Usako? You're early!" they heard Mamoru call through the door. "You're not supposed to be here for-" When Mamoru opened the door, he froze completely still, completely silent. He couldn't believe what he was seeing.

"Master," the Shitennou said in unison, offering their prince a polite bow.

"Kunzite? Zoisite? Nephrite? Jadeite?" Mamoru was stunned, to say the least. They were there for a few minutes, all staring at each other, but once he regained his senses a little bit, Mamoru shook his head and said, "Please, come in."

Kunzite vaguely recognized his surroundings. For the most part, he gave Mamoru his privacy and refrained from spying too often, especially when the Princess was around. He knew little bits and pieces of Mamoru's current life- of ChibiUsa, the Golden Crystal, the various enemies the Sailor Senshi had faced- but it still seemed very unfamiliar. The world looked different from physical eyes.

Mamoru sat down on a chair across from a couch, where Jadeite, Nephrite and Zoisite sat. Kunzite stood to the side, declining Mamoru's offer to give him his seat. It was an image identical to their many meetings during the Silver Millennium. For the first time since they were reunited, the Shitennou had confidence in their posture and their voices. Endymion was the glue that held the Shitennou together.

"How long have you been back?" asked Mamoru, trying to take everything in, taking the time to look over every one of his generals carefully. Aside from a few topical changes, they seemed exactly the same as they did during the Silver Millennium, and completely different from when they were the generals of the Dark Kingdom. "Since you stopped appearing to me with your stones?"

"How long has that been?" Zoisite asked.

"About a year, year and a half maybe," replied Mamoru.

"Then yeah, about then. It took awhile for us to find each other, then to find where you were. We just found where to find you yesterday, Master," Zoisite explained. He always was the most comfortable one when it came to talking in awkward situations, a handy skill for the dinner parties they were forced to endure.

"Couldn't you remember anything from when you were trapped in the stones?" Mamoru asked.

"We could, but we also wanted to give you your privacy, so we didn't eavesdrop very much," said Zoisite. Mamoru took comfort in that. It was nice to know no one was ever watching when he and Usagi were intimate.

"Do you know how this happened? You getting real bodies, I mean, leaving the stones behind," said Mamoru.

"I think we may have mentioned that we were reborn with you in this century, but when our memories awoke, they were the brainwashed ones, not the real ones," said Kunzite, "It turns out our regular bodies remained behind in comas while our spirits ran amok in bodies created by Metallia. What I don't know is how we were released from our imprisonment. I know it wasn't on our part. We lost our powers giving you your life back, and we still don't have them, but somehow we're here."

"Perhaps..." Mamoru was thoughtful for a moment. They had disappeared around the same time he and Sailor Moon had defeated Nehellenia, almost right after that happened. "The Golden Crystal. I was given it around the same time the stones stopped working. It must have given you the chance to go back to your normal lives."

"I remember hearing about the Golden Crystal. Is it anything like the Silver Crystal?" asked Jadeite.

Mamoru nodded. "It's a lot like it, and since the Silver Crystal is more than capable of doing something like returning souls to their normal bodies, I wouldn't be surprised if that's what happened."

"How very fortunate for us," muttered Kunzite, mulling over the situation. "Do you still have the stones we were trapped in?"

"Of course, they're in that box next to the TV," said Mamoru, looking at Kunzite with confusion. "Why?"

"Just curious." For some reason, Kunzite felt like he needed to see it. Perhaps it was for acceptance, or to close a chapter on his life, but it was if that stone was calling to him, begging to be held.

Kneeling down, Kunzite opened the stained wooden box. Sitting in elegant velvet were four stones: bright, luminous green jadeite, deep blue nephrite, shimmering yellow-green zoisite, and, finally, the translucent pink kunzite. Picking up the kunzite, Kunzite felt a warm sensation emanating from the gem, flowing from the palm of his hand until the warmth encased his entire body. With the warmth came strength, a strength almost forgotten in this new life. A pure power, free of Metallia's taint, bestowed from the planet Earth itself. For the first time since he awoke, Kunzite felt completely whole again.

The others had followed suit, holding their crystals in their hands, letting the warmth flow through them. As they all stood there, letting their power return, the stones began to glow, attaching themselves to chains, wrapped in strands of silver.

_Kunzite Terra Power, Transform._

A calm voice whispered this into Kunzite's ear, encouraging him to say these words. Apparently the others had heard it, too, with their respective names, and exchanged looks before resolving to listen to the mysterious voice.

"Jadeite Terra Power, Transform!"

"Nephrite Terra Power, Transform!"

"Zoisite Terra Power, Transform!"

"Kunzite Terra Power, Transform!"

After another flash of light, Kunzite looked down at his hands, now covered by white gloves. With the familiar feeling of a sword on his hip, he looked at his reflection in the window (When did all those clouds come in? Kunzite wondered when he noticed how dark it was.) His white jacket was embroidered with gold filigree, belts wrapped around his waist to secure his sword. Steel-plated boots reached his kneecaps, and his shoulders were framed by a long, brown cape lined with blue on the inside. It had been a thousand years since he wore this outfit, the uniform of the High General of Earth. Turning back to his friends, he could see that Jadeite, Nephrite and Zoisite were dressed very similarly, only without the capes and different weaponry. Jadeite yielded two daggers, Nephrite a thinner sword than his, Zoisite a shortsword. The transformation had even done Nephrite the favor of growing his hair back out and shaving his face.

Mamoru had transformed, too. Instead of his t-shirt and jeans, he was standing there in his princely armor. Turning to Endymion, the Shitennou fell to one knee, heads bowed to their prince in respect. There was no better time to give his rehearsed speech, so Kunzite raised his head and looked straight up at Mamoru.

"Master Endymion," Kunzite began, "We, your loyal Generals, the Four Heavenly Kings of Earth, have come here to offer our sincerest apologies and regrets for our transgressions. We hope that you can forgive us for what we could not control, and give us another chance to serve you and this planet." It felt longer in his head, but the words were clear and concise, straight to the point. Very typical Kunzite.

"My friends," said Endymion, "You don't even need to apologize, I know where your hearts truly lie. Please, call me Mamoru, and you don't have to bow. I'm not a royalty at the moment, so don't call me Master, or Your Majesty, or, really, even Endymion. I prefer Mamoru."

It seemed Mamoru had integrated his past and present personas together with much more ease than the Shitennou had. Though Zoisite and Nephrite genuinely enjoyed some aspects of their modern personas, Jadeite was ambivalent and Kunzite actively shunned it, only making the efforts to blend in with modern society. Mamoru continued to embrace both sides to him, and Kunzite admired that self-acceptance.

One by one, each general rose, watching Mamoru as his armor faded back into normal clothes. Slowly, each of them followed suit, though Kunzite was reluctant. Changing back into this modern form brought back some of the emptiness that was only just filled again, only comforted by the warmth of the crystal now hanging around his neck.

"I can tell this hasn't been easy for you guys, so, if there's anything you need, please let me know. You can always contact Usagi, that's Serenity's name now, and the senshi. You know as well as I that they're good girls," Mamoru offered.

"Mast- Mamoru," said Kunzite abruptly, "I have to ask you to not tell them yet. I want to be the one to tell Venus that I'm here. It wouldn't be right if she heard it from someone else."

Mamoru nodded. If memory served, Kunzite was just as head over heels in love with Sailor Venus as he was with Princess Serenity. He could appreciate that sentiment and was more than happy to do his part to help. Looking through his phone contacts, Mamoru grabbed a pen and scrawled a number down on a piece of paper, handing it to Kunzite.

"If you want to call her. She, Mercury, Jupiter and Usagi all go to the same High School, too, Juuban Municipal High School, though they're on summer break right now. They also spend a lot of time at the Hikawa Shrine, where Mars lives."

"And, where is that, exactly," Jadeite asked far too eagerly. Mamoru began to give directions, alongside warnings that Hino Rei was not the kind to easily appease a man, no matter what happened in the past. Kunzite, however, zoned out, staring at the Kanji written underneath the phone number. Aino Minako. Her family name was so fitting.

They stayed around for awhile longer, discussing their new lives and how they were coping with the changes until Mamoru mentioned that Usagi was going to be over soon. Though he insisted his friends could stay, the Shitennou opted to give him his space. They had taken enough of his time already, and they had a lot to think about, especially now that they had their powers back. Nephrite headed out for coffee, while Jadeite and Zoisite went their separate ways, leaving Kunzite alone. It was just as well, Kunzite could have a clear mind when he wasn't surrounded by his noisy friends.

Unfortunately, the weather had turned from a beautiful sunny day into a downpour of rain, making the commute home rather miserable, and something else was lingering in the air. Something familiar, but sinister. At first, Kunzite chocked it up to paranoia, but the sight of a slender man with white hair caught his eye. Stopping, Kunzite watched as the man calmly crossed the street under his umbrella. Staring back, he grinned, and faded into the crowd before Kunzite could chase after him. There was no mistake. Kunzite had met this man many times before.

"Adonis."


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: So, here it is, Chapter 3. Finally getting the plot moving along. I'm really surprised on how fast I am getting these chapters out. Normally I'm a really slow writer. I really do have to thank all of you for the reviews! Your support keeps me going and makes me excited to keep writing.

_The Princess of Venus sat worrying in the General's tent, apprehensive about Queen Serenity's decision to send her and her fellow senshi down to Earth to help fight what evil forces were trying to overtake it. Venus did not like the idea of leaving the Princess of the Moon alone, or to be personally away for this long. However, orders were orders, and Venus would follow them._

_General Kunzite, King of the Middle East, was in command over Venusian troops, sent by her own mother to protect their sister planet, so at the very least, she was among many familiar faces. Soldiers of Venus also knew not to say anything about their Princess spending her nights with the Earth General in his tent, or of anything they heard from within. Instead, General Kunzite had gained much respect from the troops he commanded, the foot soldiers knowing that if their beautiful and powerful princess respected him, they all should._

_Unfortunately, Venus had been injured in battle the day before, ankle badly broken from being assaulted by one of Metallia's youma. Her Senshi powers would help the injury heal in a week or two, as opposed to a few months it would take for a normal human's bones to heal. _

_Fortunately, her injury, along with the many deaths, were not in vain. Metallia's forces had been pushed back farther north, keeping the Queen away from the more populated southern areas of the planet. This was good for Kunzite, who held territory towards the middle of the planet and was fighting in Zoisite's territory to keep Metallia away from his people. For the time being, his kingdom was safe._

_It was getting to be late in the evening when Venus heard Kunzite arriving back at camp. From the sounds of the voices, it seemed as if Kunzite was debating with Endymion heatedly, a rare occurrence, to be sure. When Kunzite came into his tent, he looked unhappy and hardly said a word as he threw his weapons and armor aside._

_"What happened, my love?" Venus asked, standing up on her one good ankle and limping over. His face softened as he looked upon his beautiful Venusian lover, taking her into his arms and sighing in relief as he held her close._

_"It's nothing, Cytherea, Endymion was just a little jealous," said Kunzite, laying Venus down on the plethora of mats and pillows the adorned the floor of his tent, "He was just upset over my good news."_

_"What news?" Venus asked, pulling Kunzite down with her._

_"I talked to your mother, and while updating on the situation of her planet's troops, I asked her a question I dared not bother asking before," said Kunzite, but he didn't elaborate. It was his way of teasing her, which he loved to do._

_"Are you going to tell me what you asked her?" Venus asked, giving Kunzite a small kiss._

_"Possibly."_

_Venus pouted and crossed her arms, "I hate it when you do this."_

_"But you get so cute when you're mad."_

_As Venus threw a pillow at him, Kunzite laughed and rolled over, leaning over the princess and smiling down at her. "Okay, I'll tell you," he said, brushing her bangs from her eyes and kissing her on the forehead. "Your mother agreed, after seeing how well I was handling her troops, that I was worthy of her daughter. She agreed to let us marry once this war is over."_

_Venus's jaw dropped, and she began to giggle in disbelief. "She did?" When he nodded, Venus couldn't help but scream in delight, throwing her arms around him, laughing and crying. She couldn't believe it. All this time, she thought her love was doomed to be a secret affair, but her mother was breaking all the rules of the Silver Millennium for her. No wonder Endymion was upset. On top of being so stressed, he must have been exceedingly jealous of Kunzite. No Terran had ever married outside the planet before, and Endymion must have been hoping to be the first._

_"Oh, Kunzite, I love you," Venus said after a very long, heated kiss. "Please make sure this war ends soon."_

_"I will, Cytherea, I will," whispered Kunzite, leaning in close, "and I love you, too,"_

When Minako's eyes opened, she saw Ami, Makoto, and Artemis staring down at her, relief spreading across their faces when they saw she was awake. Last think Minako remembered, she and Makoto were cleaning her room together after her mother threatened to ground her over its unusual messiness. She had no idea when Ami got there.

"Thank goodness you're awake," said Ami, kneeling down and taking the cloth off Minako's forehead, soaking it in cold water. "Makoto called when you passed out and started running a fever. How are you feeling?"

"I-" the words were caught in her throat as she thought back to her dream. There was a feeling of dread in her gut, a shiver down her spine as she looked out her window to the pouring rain. She was silent for a long while, letting Ami put the cloth back on her forehead and drinking a glass of water handed to her by Makoto.

"There's something sinister about this weather." Minako didn't want to talk about her dreams. The strange aura lingering in the air provided her a good change of topic.

"So you sense it, too?" Artemis asked, "There's some dark energy lingering around here, and I don't like the feeling of it."

"Could that be what caused Minako's fainting spell?" wondered Makoto. She was surprised when Minako met her question by certainly shaking her head. "How do you know?"

"I had a flashback. Normally they just happen in dreams, but I-I don't really know what happened. I mean, I guess anything could have caused the flashback, but," sighing, Minako lied back down, remembering the warmth of Kunzite's body on top of her, failing to blink back the tears, "they're becoming so vivid."

"About Kunzite?" Minako looked up at Makoto, who shrugged, "you were muttering his name when you first passed out."

"I don't want to talk about it, Makoto. Not now." said Minako determinedly. She looked over to Ami, who was now holding her computer in her hand, reading what was onscreen. "Do you have anything on there to go off of with this energy?"

"I have been analyzing these energy readings while we've been waiting for you to wake up. They're faint, but I am getting readings matching up with signatures from the Youma we faced against Beryl. There is a possibility that someone from the Dark Kingdom could be behind this, and if you dreams are about Kunzite, there could be a link." said Ami.

"They redeemed themselves in the end, they helped Mamoru," argued Minako, sitting up, "It can't be the Generals. Besides, these dreams started months ago, and this energy just started." Ami was taken aback for a moment, but then remembered, very faintly, of Minako's feelings during the Silver Millennium. Makoto understood, though. Until she had proof just as solid as she did when she first became Sailor Venus, she would refuse to believe in anything but the redemption.

"So, what is causing her dreams?" Makoto asked Artemis, "if not this energy?"

"Rapid memory recollection," explained Artemis, "I'm surprised none of you have been experiencing it, though you still might. Minako did awaken before any of you did. These memories are more specific than what you generally remember now. They're flashbacks that are very vivid and they've really been taking a toll on Minako, though she's been trying to hide it."

"Oh, Minako, you should have told us about this," said Makoto, sitting down on the edge of her bed. "Why didn't you?"

"It's no big deal, really," said Minako, standing up, not wanting to continue on this topic. "How about we just go downstairs and have some lunch?"

Despite the protests of her friends, Minako rushed down the stairs and flicked on the TV,  
pulling out the bento boxes Makoto brought, giving Ami the one Makoto brought for Minako's mother. Both watched Minako carefully, taking note to handle Minako's apparent raging insanity with great care. They hadn't noticed how forced Minako's smile was before, but now they could see the pain in her eyes as she tapped her foot to a song playing on an entertainment news show.

_"And today we have a really surprising interview. After his mysterious disappearance while filming in China four years ago, everyone has been asking 'where is Saijou Ace?' Well, today, he is here to tell his story, and his new single called Taming Aphrodite. Everyone, please welcome musician and actor, Saijou Ace!"_

Ami jumped when she heard Minako's food crash to the floor, glass of water shattering. Her mouth was agape, completely stunned by the appearance of the idol on the screen. Immediately, Minako screamed for Artemis, who jumped down the stairs. Artemis, too, was shocked when he saw the screen.

"What's the matter?" Makoto asked, rushing out of the kitchen with some towels to clean up the mess.

"I killed him," was all Minako said.

"What?" both Makoto and Ami asked.

"He was part of the Dark Kingdom, but I don't think he was brainwashed like the other generals were, since he had all his memories. Kaitou Ace stalked me and tried to kill me because I rejected his affection when I was Princess Venus," Minako elaborated. "He could be behind this energy."

"But we don't know that," said Ami, "I think we should investigate before we go breaking down doors to television studios."

"You should still be on guard, though. It seems obvious his feelings for Minako haven't changed," said Artemis, watching the music video now playing onscreen. It was a heavy love ballad, a passionate cry to a blonde bombshell draped in gold, spurning his affection. It was set in a desert, where the woman, addressed as Aphrodite in the song, ran away from her Greco-Roman palace to an Arabian king, who killed her in the end of the video. The final shot was of Ace over a grave, laying yellow roses over a grave labeled "Princess Venus."

Ami and Makoto looked at Minako nervously, who was now looking completely unhinged. Internally, Minako was telling herself to remain calm, that she didn't know Adonis had impure intentions. For all she knew, Ace was just trying to apologize in his own, unique way.

Still, the appearance of the Arabian king was what hit home. He was obviously trying to dissuade Minako from pursuing the man who stole her away before, or lingering on him in death. Minako knew the best option would be to stay on guard until she could gather more information. Sailor Venus had to be ready to get back in action at any moment.

"Just in case, we should start investigating. If Ace is behind this energy, there's a chance attacks could start again. Ami, start scanning any patterns and traces of energy you can find. Makoto, alert the Rei and Usagi and make sure a meeting gets scheduled tomorrow," Artemis ordered. Ami and Makoto nodded, both reaching for their respective electronics.

"I'll go hit the pavement and-" Minako began, standing up from the couch, only to be pushed back down by a pouncing Artemis.

"No, Mina, you stay here. Even if he isn't evil, he's still going to go after you, and his love for you is unstable. It always has. Kunzite protected you from a lot of things you don't know about, so you aren't going to leave the house unless another Senshi is with you," demanded Artemis sternly, "And just in case, you keep your Sailor Crystal and phone by you at all times."

It was cute, really, how concerned Artemis got over Minako. Though everyone knew his meant to be was Luna, that didn't stop the Mau from fretting over Minako whenever something was going on, no matter how small. His loyalty to the Senshi was admirable, a large change from their tumultuous start all those years ago when Minako was still flighty and immature.

"I can handle myself, Artemis, you know that. I don't need to be babysat. If any bad guys show up, I'll be sure to call, but I don't need an escort or a bodyguard," Minako argued. Though, secretly, Minako began to worry about the "things Kunzite never warned her about." Her last encounter was bad, that was for sure, but were there even bigger reasons for Artemis's concern?

Minako couldn't help but let that question plage her all day, even after Makoto and Ami left. During dinner, her parents were concerned by Minako's silence, used to their chatty, vivacious daughter talking their ears off about some celebrity or a cute boy from school. When Minako went to bed, her mother, who was normally so angry and pushy, attempted to check up on her, but was turned away at the door.

Once the Aino family was finally asleep, Artemis took the opportunity to sneak out of the house, prepared to do some pre-investigating for the meeting tomorrow. Though the rain had let up, the clouds were still dark, blocking almost all moonlight from view. Following the scent of the negative aura, Artemis found himself in a park, abandoned in the dark of the night. Sniffing the air, Artemis sprinted over to a patch of dirt, brushing it away until a small, white gemstone appeared beneath.

"What kind of stone is this?" Artemis muttered to himself, and jumped when he heard someone answer.

"Danburite, I'd suspect. It's the name Queen Beryl gave Adonis when he joined her side."

Turning around, Artemis froze when he saw who was behind him. Tall, tan, clad in armor fit for a member of the Terran royalty, his silver hair was blowing in the wind as green eyes stared down at the white cat. Were any negative energy stemming from this man, Artemis would have attacked right away, but there was none to be found. Minako was going to be overjoyed when she heard about this.

"Lord Kunzite," Artemis said frankly, still cautious of the former Dark General's intentions.

"Master Artemis," said Kunzite with a small bow. "It is good to see you again."

"Should I be saying that?"

"If you trust Endymion's judgement, yes. I promise, Artemis, I am free of Metallia's spell, and I swear I will not hurt you. I couldn't do that to Cytherea."

The sincerity in his eyes was enough for Artemis. Before, there was nothing but cruelty and coldness in his stare, but Artemis could see the pain and regret. The look in his eyes, the way he was trying to mask it with a placid expression, it was just something someone could fake.

"I take it you are here for the same reason as I am," said Artemis, turning back to look at the piece of danburite, "the energy stemming from that."

"Yes," Kunzite replied, kneeling down next to Artemis. Picking up the rock, he began to analyze it. "I was under Metallia's spell long enough to recognize it, and I can guarantee there's some of her power lingering in there, but it's not just her. There's something... something Venusian?"

"Likely, assuming it is Adonis. I'll need to get it to Sailor Mercury for further examination."

"I wonder why he put it here. There hasn't been any reports of illness or attacks, have there? Unless..." Kunzite was noticing that his head was feeling a little light. "Interesting. It feels like it's only taking a small fraction of energy away, enough for most people to not even notice. A clever idea."

"What do you think he's using the energy for?" asked Artemis. Kunzite simply shrugged.

"We might just have to wait and see what he's going to do. In the meantime, we need to watch Venus closely. If he comes after her-" Kunzite grimaced, clenching his fist tightly "-I want to make sure I cut off his head before he has a chance to run away this time."

Artemis nodded in agreement. "And I think you need to go and see her tomorrow. She needs to see you. She's been having dreams about memories of you every night, and I'm sick of seeing her crying because she misses you."

"After everything I did, she still wants me back?" Kunzite was half-amused, though guilt still made up the other half. "She's crazy."

"Love makes people crazy, Kunzite.**"**


	4. Chapter 4

"So, you're really going to see her today?"

If there was ever something big going on in Kunzite's life, Zoisite was always there to make sure all went well. After getting a text at 5 in the morning that read "Met Artemis. Meeting Venus tomorrow" from Kunzite, Zoisite had rushed over to Kunzite's apartment, overly excited for his best friend. Kunzite always appreciated Zoisite's help in situations like these, seeing as Zoisite genuinely loved sappy and romantic moments.

Venus and Zoisite became rather good friends once Kunzite began courting the Princess, and Zoisite often said that if Kunzite ever broke her heart, he'd punch him in the face. When trying to plan special occasions for him and Venus, Kunzite always deferred to Zoisite for advice to make things perfect. Kunzite may have had the drive to romance Venus, but he was never the artistic visionary like Zoisite.

Perhaps that is why the two of them got along so well. Together, with Kunzite's logical, left-brain mentality and Zoisite's creative mind, they meshed together to make the perfect team. Even as Beryl pitted the Shitennou against each other, Kunzite and Zoisite stuck together like glue. They were practically family, and nothing was going to change the strong bonds of their friendship.

"What are you going to do? Serenade her with a band? Lavish her with gifts? Get on your knees and grovel in the form of romantic poetry?" Zoisite was being intentionally facetious. He knew Kunzite wasn't going to do anything flashy or over the top.

"I was thinking a private apology and flowers," replied Kunzite, pouring himself his third cup of coffee for the morning. Another carry over from his Shin, the coffee addiction. It was magic in liquid form.

"I suppose keeping it simple is a good idea since everything is so complicated. Do you think she's going to accept your apology?" asked Zoisite.

"Artemis all but said she would, so I'm assuming so, but I don't want to go in there acting confident, considering the situation."

Zoisite nodded, looking at Kunzite closely. Though his expression seemed completely placid, there was a glint of fear in his eyes, a white-knuckled grip on his coffee. It was endearing to see the hardass general so besotted by admiration for a woman. They had spent many mornings around a table far grander than this talking about the same thing.

"You just go in and sweep her off her feet, okay? If there is Dark Kingdom action about to start, we actually need to work with the Sailor Senshi this time, and if their leader trusts you, we'll all be better off for it. I don't want to be brainwashed again," said Zoisite. "You do your part, and the rest of us will be out seeing if there are any other danburite crystals in the city."

"All of you? It seems meeting Mamoru has given us our drive back. That's good to hear."

"You're telling me! Nephrite dropped by last night and apologized for throwing slurs at me. He was looking really rough around the edges, too. At first I thought his attitude was a holdover from the brainwashing, but I think there's something else there. I guess it's good, though, I was going to have to put him in his place if he didn't cut it out."

"It wouldn't be the first time you dueled someone for being offensive."

"Kunzite, you know I am nothing but an honorable gentleman. If people want to make crude assumptions about me, they will only get what they deserve."

"Right, General Zoisite, you have always been the most honorable," said Kunzite, dripping with sarcasm. It was hard to call Zoisite honorable when he was known for fighting dirty and never playing fair if he could find an advantage in combat.

"Anyway, do you have the piece of danburite with you so I can take a look at it?" asked Zoisite, changing the subject before Kunzite could point out any more of his flaws.

"Yeah, I took it out of the park so it couldn't zap anyone else's energy." Getting up, Kunzite walked over to his kitchen counter and grabbed the small, white crystal gingerly, setting it down in front of Zoisite, whose brow furrowed on sight.

"So you said it only zaps a bit of energy at a time so nobody notices what's going on? I wonder what he's trying to do with these..." looking at it closer, Zoisite gasped when he saw a shadow appear inside the crystal, a silhouette of a monstrous humanoid. "There's a youma inside of this."

"What?" Leaning over Zoisite's shoulder, Kunzite stared down at the danburite, eyes widening as he heard a faint rumble of a growl emanating from it. Zoisite threw it to the ground, stomping on it, trying to smash it. Knowing that wasn't going to work, Kunzite reached for his pendant, transformed, and shot it with a bolt of magic, shattering it into pieces. The spirit dispersed, dissolving into the air as Kunzite let out a heavy sigh.

"I need to call the others. If there are any other crystals out there, we need to find them before they turn into monsters right now." Standing up, Zoisite grabbed his phone and began to put on his jacket, calling Jadeite and Nephrite.

"I'll come with you," said Kunzite, getting up to follow him.

"No," Zoisite looked at Kunzite sternly and shook his head, "You have your day with Venus. We'll take care of it. Also, orchids."

"Orchids?" asked Kunzite, thinking for a second on what that meant. "Yes, I know, she like orchids, and that dandelions aren't fancy enough. I've heard this before. Anything else, oh master romantic?"

Leaning in from outside the door, Zoisite laughed and said, "Don't screw up."

Shaking his head, Kunzite detransformed and walked into the bathroom, turning the shower to nearly as hot as he could get it. Stepping in, he let out a sigh of relief as the water pounded onto his tense shoulders, rolling them to loosen some of the aches. As he poured shampoo into his hand, he began to go over his daily plans. He was meeting Minako at the same park he met Artemis last night, and after he was hoping to take her to dinner, assuming he didn't completely blunder his apology.

Though he trusted his fellow Shitennou, and understood the importance of immediate action, Kunzite wished he was going on the hunt for more pieces of danburite with them. It was becoming more obvious that Ace was concerned with more than just Minako. If he was sending out Youma, he could be trying to continue Beryl's crusade, and he couldn't let that happen.

***

Minako didn't like the looks her friends gave her. It was a look of concern that should only be reserved for Usagi in the most desperate times. She was Sailor Venus for goodness sakes! She could handle this herself, just like last time she went up against Ace as Sailor V. Keeping her head high, she walked down the steps from the Hikawa Shrine, looking forward to a nap. Last night was another miserable night's sleep, dreaming of the night on the Moon where her life was taken by the man she loved. Biting her lip, she tried to push the thoughts from her mind, focusing on the warmth and comfort of her bed that was beckoning her.

It was abnormally cold for this time of year, the normally shining sun obscured by exceedingly dark clouds, clouds that brought negativity only caused by minions of darkness. Shivering, Minako wrapped her arms around herself, regretting the choice of wearing a miniskirt that Artemis was unusually complimentary of this morning.

Speaking of Artemis, the white cat was poised on a concrete wall, waiting for Minako earnestly. Pouncing on her shoulder, Artemis leaned over and said, "I need you to come with me. I found something that could be related to all of this at a park not far from here."

"What did you find?" asked Minako, fumbling for her umbrella as she felt raindrops beginning to fall on her head.

"A piece of danburite that was zapping energy."

"What?"

"A piece of danburite. I think there might be a youma trapped inside of it that needs energy to attack. Are the other girls still at the shrine?" Minako nodded. She had left early when she tired of the pitiful stares. Makoto spilling the beans about her memories of Kunzite made it even worse, and it ended up driving Minako up the wall.

Picking up her pace, she followed Artemis's directions until they reached a small, secluded area of a park. Before Minako could ask where anything was, Artemis lept off her shoulder and ran back the way they came, shouting "You'll want to be alone for this! Trust me!"

"Artemis! Where-?" Minako stopped herself when she realized Artemis was already gone. Sighing, Minako continued down the path, shaking her head, wondering what had gotten into Artemis. In the distance, she could see a gazebo, and Minako decided to go there to get out of the rain until whatever Artemis was planning happened.

"That cat is going crazy," Minako muttered, shaking her head.

There was someone else already there, gazing up at the rain, holding a bouquet of yellow and orange flowers in his hand. Dark skin stood out underneath the silver of his hair, falling down to broad, strong shoulders. When she was able to see his face, she couldn't breathe. Heart stopping, she trembled, dropping the umbrella in her hand, staring unbelievingly at the man who was now walking up to her.

"Minako," he breathed, picking up his pace. As he came closer and closer, Minako began to take steps towards him as well, joy bursting in her heart. Was this possible? Was it really him? He was so close to touching her, so close to embracing her, when a bolt of energy pushed him back, flying into the trees.

"Kunzite!" Minako screamed, horrified at the sight of her long lost love appearing before her eyes just to be attacked. Snapping back to her senses, Minako reached inside her purse, pulling out the Venus crystal, shouting at the top of her lungs "VENUS CRYSTAL POWER, MAKE UP!"

"Come out so we can fight, you coward!" Minako yelled, taking in her surroundings, trying to spot the attacker. Up in the trees she could see a dark silhouette, looming down at her.

"But I'm not here to fight you, Venus, I'm only here for him," said the man in the trees, jumping down from the branches. Minako's stomach churned as she looked at him. Gone was the white and the beauty from his attire, instead he was clad in black, mask shed, revealing dark, loveless eyes covered by matted white hair. Any hope that Kaitou Ace was redeemed in this life was shed as she dropped into a fighting stance, prepared to attack. "Strange that you are willing to fight me so easily, but you are so quick to defend him. He hurt you, too, Venus. His betrayal should feel much deeper than mine. I'm here to protect you from getting hurt by him again."

For a second, Minako faltered, staring back at Kunzite, who was forcing himself to stand up, eyes filled with hate as he stared at Ace, panting heavily as he clutched the pendant around his neck.

"If you're just here to protect me, why do you have crystals containing Youma out here?" Venus asked, flexing her fingers, readying her attacks to be deployed at a moment's notice.

"Just in case I couldn't get to you in time," Ace replied, stepping closer to her, reaching out for a lock of her blonde hair.

_"Don't you dare lay a finger on her you psychotic little shit."_

Kunzite had stepped in front of Venus, knocking Ace's hand away. "If you want to fight me, fight me, but never compare me to you. You sold yourself to Beryl and Metallia out of envy and spite, but my fall was not the same as yours. Beryl tainted me, made me someone I was not. You haven't changed, Adonis. You are no different than that snivelling boy who poisoned your princess just so you could defile her just like you did in your sick little fantasies."

His pendant started to glow, wind whipping around violently as he raised his hand in the air and bellowed "KUNZITE TERRA POWER TRANSFORM." When the light passed, he had transformed, his sword was raised, poised to lash out at Ace at any moment, a violent stare in his eyes that was filled with both passion and hate as they glowed, magic emanating from his other hand.

Knowing that he was in trouble, Ace threw out a crystal, commanding it to attack, but before the youma could even begin its assault, Venus had shot it back with a crescent beam, knocking it down, while Kunzite's magic made it disperse just as easily as it did with the crystal at his apartment. Swearing, Ace lunged towards Kunzite, who barely managed to dodge the swift attack, slicing open his skin, making blood trail down his arm. Kunzite lunged back, thrusting his sword forward, but Ace disappeared, teleporting into thin air.

"Damnit," Kunzite hissed, falling to his knees as he clutched his injury, which was quickly saturating his white coat with blood. "Come back, you coward!" Reversing his transformation, he punched the ground, blood boiling his his veins. Adonis was back to hurt Venus. No. That wasn't allowed to happen. Not again.

Dropping down next to him, Venus changed back into her normal form, looking at his arm. Pulling her red bow out of her hair, she wrapped it around his arm, trying to stem the blood flow.

"You need to get that looked at by a doctor," said Minako, looking at the wound with concern, "It's going to get infected for you'll bleed out or-"

"I'll be fine. Just help me get home and give me some orange juice and I'll be okay."

Minako frowned as she helped him up from the ground, noticing that the blood was already seeping through this shirt, too. "At least call Mamoru to get it properly stitched up, please. He's a medical student and can fix you right up."

He wanted to ignore her demands, but Kunzite couldn't say no to her sad, pleading eyes and said, "I'll call him when we get me home." Wrapping an arm around him for support, Minako began the slow journey down the trail out of the park. For a long while, they limped along in silence, letting themselves get drenched by the pouring rain, and though it was obvious that Kunzite was more than capable of walking along on his own, Minako didn't want to let go.

"So," Minako ventured after Kunzite directed a turn, "You're back. And you're you again. That's good."

"I was hoping today would go better. There are a lot of things I need to apologize for. It was never my intention to betray Endymion, or the Moon Kingdom. When we started losing the war, I was so terrified that your mother would have forbidden me to marry you. I went to Beryl, who I trusted as much as I trusted my brothers-in-arms, and when she put a spell on this-" Kunzite held up the pendant around his neck "-she told me it would help protect my troops and I in battle. I had no idea of what she intended to do with me. If I had known, none of this would have happened."

"I know that, Kunzite. I never doubted your loyalty. If I had remembered who you were when I fought you, I would have tried to free you from Beryl. I'm sorry I didn't try."

"Even if you did remember, you were doing your job. You had to protect the Princess, and you had to put duty before love. You have nothing to be sorry about. I am the only one who has anything to apologize for."

Kunzite was relieved when they reached his building, fortunate to be out of the rain. Walking over to the elevator, they got in together, Kunzite using his good arm to push the button to his floor.

"I just want you to know," Kunzite continued, looking at the numbers ascending as the elevator took them up, "that despite what happened, I still love you, and I know it's unfair to ask the same of you, but that doesn't mean I won't hope that your forgiveness can extend that far."

Minako was having trouble finding the way to respond. The fact that she was just attacked by Ace, fought alongside a very much alive Kunzite, and was now going to his apartment because he was injured was just starting to sink into her. The same Kunzite who loved her, and who killed her. Instead of verbalizing her feelings, she wrapped her arms around his waist, holding him close, not letting go until the elevator door opened.

When they finally made it to his apartment, Minako sat down with Kunzite on the couch. Taking his shirt and her ribbon off his arm, Minako couldn't help but squirm a bit as she looked at the nasty cut. It was incredible that he was acting so calm when there was no possible way he couldn't be in immense pain.

"Are you sure you don't want to go to a hospital?" asked Minako, rubbing her own arm out of sympathy pain.

"Just call him," Kunzite hissed, open wound stinging from exposure, "please."

Grabbing her own phone, Minako scrolled down to find the entry for Mamoru, a rarely used contact, but one she always had just in case. It rang a few times before Mamoru picked up, confused, but asking "What's up?"

"Kunzite got attacked by Ace and he's really hurt and he's refusing to go to the hospital so I thought you could come and patch him up, please," Minako said in one breath. There was silence on the other end for a few moments, and Minako could hear Usagi asking what was wrong in the background.

"Tell me how to get there and we'll be there as soon as we can," Mamoru replied. Minako was vaguely able to tell him where Kunzite lived, with confusing but efficient directions pieced together from walking home with him. Assuring her that he'd be there, Mamoru hung up the phone, leaving Minako praying for traffic to be his friend.

"He'll be here soon," Minako assured, setting her phone down. Though the bleeding had begun to subside, the cut still looked nasty, but Minako was unsure of what to do, or if she could do anything else while waiting for Mamoru. Instead of trying to guess and risk irritating the gash, Minako sat back down, trying to gather her feelings about the situation. She always imagined she would be happier to see him in this situation.

"Kunzite," said Minako suddenly, "I've missed you. I've dreamed and pleaded and prayed that you would come back to me every night for months, but now that you're here, I can't help but remember everything that's happened, both good and bad. I love you more than anything, and I trust you, but there are parts of me, parts that are loyal to my princess alone, that can't forgive you just yet."

"I knew this was coming," Kunzite laughed bitterly, leaning his head back and closing his eyes, "but I get it. Were I you, I'd think the same thing. Your words won't spurn me, though, and I'm not going to give up. I've been fully prepared to have to prove my intentions to you, and so I will."

"It's not that you have to prove anything to me," said Minako, "It's just that, well, I guess you have a lot to make up for, and I feel a million different emotions right now and most of them are good, but I need to be cautious, too. You killed me. You tried to kill Serenity. You betrayed all of us, and I know it wasn't you, but at the same time, it was. I'm torn between loyalties, and I'm scared that someone could get to you again, but that doesn't mean I don't love you. I do. I'm just, well, I suppose I'm just hurt. That's all."

"Then I'll make it up to you," turning his head to completely face her, leaning in close, "I'll be your battle companion, your confidant, your lover, whatever you need me to be. I'll do whatever it takes, because I would be a fool not to." It was then he laid his lips upon hers, kissing his goddess tenderly. "I will never do anything to give you up again."

For now, those words would be enough. Butterflies fluttering around in her stomach, Minako kissed him back, fairly certain that she was, at that moment, the luckiest girl in the world.


	5. Chapter 5

Well, here's a nice little fluff chapter before I go into something bigger next chapter. I suppose I don't have to warn the vague sex scene because I did rate this M for a reason. I atrocious at writing smut, so you won't be getting any smut in this story, if that is what you've been holding out for. Thank you again for all your reviews and praise. You guys are the absolute best!

* * *

The return of the Shitennou was providing very little time for Mamoru and Usagi to be alone. After being interrupted by an injured Kunzite yesterday, Mamoru promised Usagi that today would be their alone day together, that was until Jadeite called asking for help with a situation. As it turned out, Jadeite wanted to repent for his Dark Kingdom sins spiritually, which conveniently meant volunteering at the Hikawa Shrine. Rei was not amused with the idea.

"Absolutely not," said Rei, "Last time he was in the area, he kidnapped a bunch of people on busses and gave this shrine a bad name. There's absolutely no way he's allowed to do anything here!" Rei had not forgotten the vanishing buses, and when she became a Sailor Senshi, how so many people went missing those frightening days. All of that was Jadeite's fault.

Rising from his bow, Jadeite looked Rei square in the eye, "We both know that wasn't my fault, Miss Hino, that Beryl enchanted me and I didn't know what I was doing."

Crossing her arms, Rei looked away, refusing to look directly at someone who came very close to killing her just a few years ago. "Serves you right for being_ enchanted_ by some court tramp."

"Adrestia, you know that's not what I meant, and if you don't want Jadeite here, fine." Extending his hand, he continued, "Hello, Priestess of the Hikawa Shrine whom I have never met before, my name is Ito Kyou. I've fallen on some rough times and am in need of some spiritual healing, and I would greatly appreciate it if I could stay at this shrine until I find a way to get back on my feet."

Rei did not turn to look back at him, nor did she reciprocate his handshake, causing Usagi to step in. "Come on, Rei, they really are good again. Give him a chance."

"I'm not going to give him another chance to attack us. I don't care that he says he's good, I don't trust him." Rei remained defiant, just about ready to turn her good friend away. How could anyone expect her to trust Jadeite after what had happened? It was impossible.

"Mars, please." Jadeite moved to stand right in front of her, giving her a serious stare. Taking her hand, he pulled his jadeite pendant from around his neck, placing it in her hand. "This is the only way I can use any of my powers anymore. When we're not facing youma, you can hold onto it if that makes you feel safe. I was the lord over this land a thousand years ago, and I've found peace with Shintoism long before you even knew what it was. I'm not coming here just to be near you, but I did choose this place because I would like to be in familiar company. Is that okay with you?"

Rei glared back for a few moments, but eventually relented. Handing back Jadeite his pendant, she turned around, walking up the steps, but stared back at him. "Fine, you can stay, but I'll be putting you to work. My grandfather is getting old, so you can take over all of his chores. Once you get changed, you'll sweep the porch and once you're done with that, you can mop all the floors. Understand?"

For a moment, Jadeite was stunned that she actually said yes, and didn't move until Rei yelled "Are you coming or not?" Jumping up the stairs, the youngest Shitennou followed the priestess eagerly until the two of them were out of sight.

"I was honestly expecting her to put up more of a fight," Mamoru remarked, staring up at the shrine, "we could actually still have time to get lunch."

"I think it's cute. Rei's never seemed like she's liked a guy before, so this is a big step for her," giggled Usagi, resting her head on Mamoru's arm, "And Jadeite is so loyal to her that I'm sure she'll be more affectionate soon enough."

"If that was Rei liking a guy, I don't want to see how she treats a guy she hates," shuddered Mamoru.

"I think Jadeite remembers what he's getting into. If he didn't want to have to deal with it, he wouldn't have come here."

"I suppose you're right, Usako."

On the other side of the stairs, inside the temple, Jadeite was changing out of his street clothes and into the hakama Rei provided, which, unsurprisingly, felt rather comfortable to him. Taking the broom from Rei, he walked out the the porch and began his job of sweeping without hesitation, knowing, but not acknowledging, that Rei was watching him.

This Jadeite seemed so different than the one she knew from the Dark Kingdom. That Jadeite was arrogant, selfish and absolutely reeked of evil energies. This man working in front of her was polar opposite: calm, happy and hard-working. This, as much as she hated to admit it, was the young general she met all those years ago, a man who respected her not for her looks or her title, but for her abilities and smarts.

When Rei caught herself smiling nostalgically, she stopped herself and turned around, eventually walking to her room. There was no way she would allow herself to get all sweet and reminiscent about a man who nearly killed her. Shutting the door, she sat down on her bed, putting her head into her hands. No, she wouldn't do this. She wasn't going to forgive him like this. He didn't deserve it. Not after everything he did.

Though the Golden Crystal could have completely healed his scar, Kunzite asked to keep it as a sign of what he was fighting for. His old body was covered in nicks and cuts that never fully healed, and it was about time to start a new collection. When he woke up in the morning, it was still red and sore, but that didn't deter him from his morning run or multiple cups of coffee.

It was while drinking his coffee, staring out to the streets below, that Kunzite began to muse the events of the day before. Ace had been far too cowardly and barely fought at all the day before, and that worried Kunzite. If Ace didn't continue the fight, it means he had something bigger to work towards. Instantly, Kunzite's mind went to the Silver Crystal. If Ace wanted total power, that is what he would be going for. Fortunately, if the Senshi could catch Ace early on, they shouldn't have too large of a problem to deal with.

Fortunately, the other Shitennou had been able to take down a couple danburite crystals the day before, all located within popular areas, and none were quite powerful enough to spawn any monsters. They had done well, a compliment that couldn't have been afforded when they were corrupted.

The only thing that brought him out of his thought was the ringing of his doorbell. Opening the door, Minako was standing on the other side, beaming, though she did look tired. "Good morning, Kun-Kun!"

Right. Kun-Kun. Minako had so cleverly thought of that new nickname for him while walking out the door the evening before. It was insanely mushy and cute, not exactly the kind of nickname Kunzite would have chosen for himself.

"Good morning, Minako," said Kunzite, taking her and a leading her through the door. "What brings you here so early? I thought you said you were a late sleeper." It was only about 8:30, which was, in fact, ungodly early for Minako.

"Only when I can sleep," she yawned, plopping down on his couch. "I couldn't stop thinking about yesterday, about Ace and how crazy he's acting, and how you're actually here, especially how you're here. So, after a few hours of tossing and turning I decided to come and see you."

"That's sound reasoning," sitting down next to her, he took her hand, gently stroking it with his thumb, "You know you're welcome here any time."

"You're only saying that because you hope that I'll spend the night!" Minako teased, "Don't lie to me, you know it's true."

"That's not what I meant..."

"You think that just because we had a relationship in the past means I'll just hop into bed with you, don't you?"

"Based on how quickly you let me sleep with you last time, that didn't even come into mind."

"Kun-Kun," Minako pouted playfully, "That wasn't nice."

"I don't want to be anything but honest to you." For a second Kunzite was worried that he had actually insulted Minako, but when he went to look at her she was holding back giggles.

"Well, I'm glad you're so dedicated to your cause." It was interesting. Minako seemed generally a lot more carefree and relaxed than Cytherea, no doubt due to the ease of the burden of protecting the Moon Princess. "Hey, Kun-Kun?"

"Yes?"

"I just realized I don't know your real name."

"Yes you do, it's Kunzite."

"No, not Kunzite, your actual name. From this life."

"Does it matter? I only use it on documents or with the family I rarely talk to. It's Shin, if you really want to know, but I'm not that person anymore," Kunzite explained, "I gave up that part of my life when I decided to dedicate my life to my past life's duty in compensation for all the damage I caused."

"So Kunzite and Shin are mutually exclusive?" Minako wasn't being silly anymore. What she was posing was a serious discussion, the first serious thing she had actually asked him since they reunited.

"In a way. It's not exactly easy being two people at once, and Shin and Kunzite are two separate entities."

"Besides the fact one is a General-King from a magical kingdom and one is a regular guy from modern day Tokyo, how are you two different?"

"We-" Kunzite stopped himself, mulling over how he acted before he fell into the coma. He was still dedicated to his job (despite the fact managing a company was far more boring than protecting a prince and fighting wars), cared deeply about his family, and was generally a quiet, studious man. Overall, the two of them acted nearly identical, and the only differences were the circumstances of their births. This kept him quiet as he mulled over just how little actually changed beyond self-loathing in the past few years.

"I mean, I'm still very much Sailor Venus, you know that, but I'm also Aino Minako. I didn't stop loving volleyball or following idols or reading manga and playing video games all the time just because I woke up as Sailor Venus and didn't do that before. I have friend that I didn't know before, and I still care about my family from this life. You don't have to stop being who you are just because you remembered something new."

"Why do you care so much about this?" He didn't intend for it to come off as rude, but he felt like it did, though it didn't seem to phase his hand, Minako rested it on her lap and looked at him sadly.

"Because I don't feel like you're happy," she said.

"Minako..." Leaning down, he kissed her on the forehead. Of course her biggest concern would be his happiness, and this wasn't meant to be some lecture about whatever standards she had for living in this time period. In a way, she was right. Separation from his parents was, deep down, causing him strain, and he knew that the avoidance of their calls was causing him as much pain as it was then. He was also taking advantage of his sympathetic mother who was so worried about his psychological health that she was using her money to support him until he went back to his father's company.

"I thought I was the one who was supposed to be looking after you," said Kunzite, "and here you are, looking out for me."

"That's what we're supposed to do, Kunzite, look out for each other, and you need to be looked out for much more than I need to be right now. Even Ace is more interested in coming after you than me right now. I know you want to be my knight in shining armor to make up for what has happened, but I think I might need to be your knight for a while."

Despite the truth in Minako's words, it was almost embarrassing for a girl not so young to be taking this role for him. "Please don't say that in public. You'd embarrass me." Though, by the way he had wrapped his arm around her holding her close, she knew he appreciated the sentiment.

"You still have all that pride, don't you? Arrogant, proud, Kunzite who is the strongest warrior in the Earth Kingdom being taken care of by the sweet, demure little Venusian princess. That would have never gone over well in court."

"Sweet and demure? Those are hardly the words I'd use to describe the leader of the Sailor Senshi."

"Then how would you describe me?"

Kunzite let a sly smile appear on his face. "Well, beautiful." First, he kissed her with a hot passion, the first time he let all his pent up sexual energy out in ages. "Fierce." Then his hands trailed down her body, bringing her shirt up with him as he pulled it above her head, pressing kisses down her torso. "Sexy." Kneeling down in front of her, he pulled her skirt up to her hips, running his finger over her still nether area, making Minako squirm slightly.

"Kunzite," she breathed, visibly nervous from his actions.

"Do you want me to stop?" It was entirely up to her. Before, conversations like this would almost always lead to some sort of promiscuous activity, but Cytherea wasn't Minako completely, and as much as he wanted to do this, the was no way he would continue if she didn't want to.

"No, I'm just nervous. I haven't done this since the Silver Millennium, that's all."

"Are you sure?" He wasn't going to start again until he heard a solid yes.

Minako nodded, breathing deeply. "Yes." It was foolish for her to so blindly trust him this much, but he had always made her irrational. Maybe she shouldn't have said yes, but she didn't want to say no. Upon hearing the yes, he began to pleasure her, touching her in a way that drove her mad.

He still knew how to do it. Find every way to make her cry out and sigh in pleasure with every stroke of his hand, each flick of his tongue, every motion was perfect. He still remembered every sensitive part of her body, where to caress and kiss to keep her going. When things go more heated, and he took her for the first time, he was considerate, gentle, allowing her to grow used to him all over again, and when it was done, she never wanted to leave his arms. Minako just wanted to stay in his bed, curled up against his naked, warm skin, where she felt completely happy and at peace.

Like so many morning before, Kunzite would just hold her, stroking her golden hair, inhaling her sweet scent as they dozed off. "I love you," he said, the words causing her heart to flutter. It was a love based on another live's experience, but it was still a genuine love all the same.

"I love you, too, Kunzite," she murmured into his chest, dozing off into her first peaceful sleep in months.**  
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